Admittedly, apples may not be the first fruit that springs to mind when you think of Wisconsin, but the truth is that there are plenty of apple orchards in the state for you to get fresh, locally grown apples!
What sets apple orchards in Wisconsin apart from the rest is the wide range of heirloom apples available.
Heirloom apples are apples that have been cultivated for centuries or even decades, and this gives you a chance to try a fruit variety you may have never tried before!
Now that we’ve convinced you that Wisconsin is the place to be to try delicious, unique apples packed with both flavor and history, let’s take a look at the 12 best apple-picking orchards in Wisconsin.
Located in the Turtle Valley, Apple Barn Orchard and Winery is a remote one, but this just makes it the ideal country getaway to escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Despite being remote, there is so much to do at Apple Barn Orchard, with plenty of events taking place throughout the year.
Plus, there is always fresh produce for you to pick during the year, such as fresh strawberries in the summer, and apples in the fall.
There are 13 varieties of apples available for you to pick at Apple Barn Orchard and Winery, and for a trip with friends or your partner we highly recommend the orchard winery. There, they serve award-winning fruit wines that are made in-house.
Tastings are regularly available, and you can take home a bottle as a memento. A trip to the orchard winery sounds like the perfect date to us!
Apple Blossom Farm is all about family, being run by a married couple and their kids. It’s the ultimate homely apple orchard!
They want to bring the freshest produce possible to the community to encourage better health, as well as to provide the community a fun place to come together.
Apple Blossom Farm teams up with local schools to give fresh fruit and veggies to the students. As well as fresh produce, there are many treats to enjoy in their farm store, such as berry jam, hard cider kits, homemade goat soap, honey, and maple syrup.
Their apple season begins in September and ends in October, and during this time you can pick apple varieties such as Ambrosia, Fortune, Spartan, Snowsweet, and Wolf River.
Apple Holler is not your run of the mail apple farm. Not only does it feature fresh crops, but it also has a baker, Biergarten, café, country store, and grill.
They sell brilliant produce and hold regular events – it’s no wonder it’s been voted one of the best places to pick apples in America!
Fresh produce is always in season at Apple Holler. Peach season begins in July, followed by apple season in August, where there is a wide range of apple varieties available such as Autumn Crisp, Blondee, Jersey Mac, Macoun, Paula Red, Red Delicious, and Viking.
Eplegaarden is a Wisconsin apple orchard that celebrates the Norwegian roots of its owners, and provides visitors a unique experience.
The orchard has an autumnal vibe all year round, offering apple picking, tasty treats, hay rides, pumpkin picking, and so much more! The orchard is particularly popular with families and school field trips.
Apple season begins in August and ends in October, and during that time you can pick varieties such as Akane, Cortland, Golden Delicious, Haralson, McIntosh, Melrose, Northern Spy, and Zestar.
The farm store also has many treats for you to buy such as cider doughnuts, fresh apple cider, and honey courtesy of the orchard’s beehives!
Located just outside Spring Valley, Wisconsin, Maple Leaf Orchard is just an hour away from the Twin Cities, which makes it ideal for visitors coming from Minnesota as well as Wisconsin (Also check out Best Areas For Strawberry Picking In Minnesota).
The orchard not only provides 30 apple varieties, but also fresh flowers, grapes, pears, potatoes, pumpkins, squash, and watermelon. You can also find goods in their farm store such as apple cider, honey, maple syrup, pickles, and salsa.
Apple-picking season begins in mid-September, and if you’re visiting with your little ones you can even take a wagon ride with them.
To reduce their use of pesticides, all of their fruit is grown with integrated pest management and safe, natural methods of disease control.
Situated just outside Madison, Munchkey Apple Orchard is located in a perfect destination for city-slickers who are looking for an authentic country experience. Munchkey was a small orchard that was found in 2011 and is now home to 9,000 fruit trees.
The orchard also has a farm store that sells apple cider (hard and regular), alpaca products, French wines, fresh beef, and honey. Plus, you can also buy apple pie, caramel apples, cider doughnuts, and honey pie.
Apple season begins in late August on the orchard, where you can pick varieties such as Blondee, Crimson Gold, Daybreak Fuji, Gala, and Red.
The Oneida Nation Apple Orchard is a unique apple orchard that was purchased by the Oneida Nation in 1994 in an effort to reclaim their lands.
As well as many other crops, they planted 2,400 apple trees in the orchard, and since then it is considered to be one of the top apple orchards in Wisconsin.
There are many fresh vegetables and fruit here for you to pick, such as apples, blackberries, pumpkins, raspberries, squash, strawberries, and sweet corn. Over 20 varieties of apple are available at the orchard, such as Cortland, Honey Gold, and McIntosh.
The fields and orchards are available to school trips and families, with the aim of encouraging agricultural education.
Opened in 1951 and still going strong, Pigeon River Orchard is now run by the second generation of the orchard’s founders, and is often considered one of the top apple orchards in Wisconsin.
There is so much autumnal fun to be had in Pigeon River Orchard, such as apple picking and pumpkin picking, as well as plenty of apple cider and caramel apples to enjoy.
You can pick six varieties of apples at the orchard, such as Cortland, Gala, Honeycrisp, McIntosh, Paula Red, and Redfree.
While there are not as many varieties available here as other orchards in Wisconsin, just one visit to Pigeon River will prove just why it’s one of the most popular apple orchards in the state.
Situated close to Elkhorn, Wisconsin, Quednow’s Heirloom Apple Orchard aims to grow varieties of heirloom apples with traditional methods passed down through generations.
To reduce the amount of pesticides used, the fruit at the orchard is grown with integrated pest management.
The orchard grows a staggering 90 varieties of apples, and a lot of them you can’t find in supermarkets. A visit to Quednow’s allows you to try apples that you’ve never tried before! This really sets Quednow’s Heirloom Apple Orchard apart from the rest.
Opening at the turn of the 1900s, Oakwood Fruit Farm is one of the oldest orchards of this list, and to this day produces beautiful fresh produce in Southwestern Wisconsin.
You can pick over 20 varieties of apple here, in addition to homemade treats. Their apple cider doughnuts are legendary, and are a favorite among regular visitors.
Apple season begins in the middle of August and ends in October. Their varieties include Royal Gala, Wealthy, Zestar, and more! You need to check out their caramel apples, cinnamon rolls, freshly-baked bread, fruit pies, and turnovers – you won’t regret it!
Another orchard in Southwestern Wisconsin, Sunrise Orchards is a beautiful fruit farm surrounded by gorgeous farmland in the Kickapoo Valley.
Here, you can pick over 20 varieties of apples, and while you enjoy some fresh apple cider, your kids can run around the playground.
The apples you can pick include Dudley, Evercrisp, Gala, Golden Supreme, Jonamac, Lura Red, and Wisconsin Red Delicious. These varieties are available at different times, with availability running through mid-August to late October.
Unlike other fruit orchards, Sunrise Orchards is also dog-friendly, so the whole family can come along
One of the top apple orchards in Wisconsin, Weston’s Antique Apples is the best place to discover heirloom apple varieties. The varieties available are no longer widely grown, meaning these are truly unique varieties you can’t find anywhere else!
This orchard is nearly 100 years old and is surrounded by stunning views of Wisconsin farmland.
There is a huge range of apple varieties available at the orchard, such as Sops of Wine, Snow, Criterion, Black Twig, and Alexander. These are truly historic apples, with some cultivars being grown for over 500 years!
Final Thoughts
If you want to have some autumnal fun with your loved ones in the great Wisconsin outdoors, then visiting one of these apple orchards is a guaranteed fun day!
Whether you want family-friendly farms full of fun activities, or rural, quiet orchards growing apples you can’t find anywhere else, Wisconsin has a lot to offer.
Hi, my name is Amelia Haslehurt and I am a food blogger. As you can guess, I am passionate about what I eat, but what is most important to me when reviewing is high quality, fresh, organic, delicious ingredients.
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